Horse boot

ABSTRACT

A boot for use on the front leg of a horse for inducing the horse to raise his legs to a desired show position. The boot includes a mobile mass, which in one particular instance, shifts as the horse walks.

United States Patent [1 1 Gregory Apr. 2, 1974 [54] HORSE BOOT 2,529,419ll/l950 Ouartullo 168/25 [76] inventor: Francis W. Gregory, 7 Rose 1Garden, Taylors, S.C. 29687 PrimaryExaminer-Louis G. Mancene I AssistantExaminerJ. Q. Lever [22] Flled' June 1972 Attorney, Agent, or FirmBailey& Dority 21 App]. No.2 266,646 I 52 us. Cl. 54/82 [571 ABSTRACT [51]lnt.Cl. ..B68c 5/00 Aboot for use on the fromle g of a horse forinducing [58] Field of Searoh...- 54/82, 168/25 the horse to raise hislegs to a desired Show position The boot includes a mobile mass, whichin one partic- [56] References Cited ular instance, shifts as the horsewalks.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 484,820 10/1892 Rahn 168/25 5 Claims, 10 DrawingFigures PAIENIEDAPR 2 m4 SHEET 1 [If 2 A n D PATENTED PR 2 I974 SHEET 2[IF 2 HORSE BOOT This invention relates to a boot for a horse and moreparticularly to a boot used on special gated horses, such as walkinghorses, for inducing a horse to raise his front legs in an accentuatedmanner for the purpose of show.

In showing walking horses, such as a Tennessee Walker, the preferredfront leg action of the horse is raising of the front legs during showhigher than a normal untrained horse does when walking.

Heretofore, in order to cause the horse to raise his legs higher thannormal various inhumane methods were utilized, such as chemically ormechanically injuring the legs or hoofs of the horse to make the sametender and, thus cause the horse to lift his legs higher due to pain.

Another means of inducing the horse to raise his legs in an accentuatedmanner incorporated a chain which is secured above the legs of the horseintermediate the fetlock and coronet of the leg in the pastern area. Thefrictional engagement of the chain with this tender area of the leg of ahorse leads the horse'to raise his leg higher with increased action inan attempt to throw the chain from the leg. Where chains are used inthis manner, eventually injury to the leg of the horse will necessarilyoccur. Thus, inhumane methods have been outlawed by various horse showassociations.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention toprovide a boot for a horse which induces the horse during show to raisehis front legs in an accentuated manner without injuring the horse.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide aweighted boot for a horse which incorporates a mobile mass which shiftswith the movement of the legs so that when the leg of the horse isextended outwardly the mass shifts to induce the horse to raise his legeven higher.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a bootfor a horse which incorporates a weight that is soft and pliable,minimizing injury to the tender area in the pastern portion of thehorses leg.

Still another important object of the present invention is to provide aweighted boot for a horse which utilizes a strap arrangement which aidsin preventing the boot from sagging when soaked with perspiration fromthe horse.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparentfrom a reading of the following detailed description and appendedclaims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a boot in accordance with thepresent invention,

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG.1,

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating a FIGS. 6A through6D illustrate the various positions of a front leg of a horse whilewalking and the position of the mobile mass, such as illustrated in FIG.4 at the various positions of the leg.

Referring in more detail to the drawings, the boot has a main bodyportion A for encircling the pastern portion of the leg of a horse. Anelongated sealed tubular member B is carried by the main body portion A.A mobile mass C is carried in the tubular member B adjacent the top ofthe main body portion. In one embodiment the mobile mass includes afluid with lead shots carried therein. In another embodiment the mobilemass includes liquid mercury which shifts as the leg is moved when thehorse walks.

The main body portion A of the boot is constructed of leather andincludes an elongated outer band 10 which has spaced vertical slits 12therein, so that when the ends of the main body portion A are broughttogether in the manner illustrated in FIG. 1, such is generally conicaland bell shaped. The outer band 10 is secured to an inner leather band14 by stitching l6, adjacent the top of the inner and outer bands 10 and14, respectively, and stitching 18 adjacent the bottom thereof. Carriedadjacent the top of the inner and outer bands wand 14 is a loop ofleather 20 which has the lower end thereof secured between the inner andouter bands by the stitching 16. A reinforcing strip 22 is providedadjacent the top of the outer band 10 for strengthening the boot.Another loop of leather 24 is stitched between the lower edges of theinner and outer bands 10 and 14 for aiding in maintaining the desiredbell shape of the boot. Carried adjacent one end of the elongated mainbody portion is a metallic rectangular ring 26 that is secured adjacentthe end of the main body portion by brads (not shown), extending throughan elongated reinforcing strip 30 and the outer band 10. The other endof the main body portion has spaced vertical slots 32 positioned thereinthrough which the ring 26 extends to obtain the desired diameter of theboot. The ends of the main body portion of the boot are secured togetherby a strap 34 which is attached adjacent one end by brads 34a. The strap34 extends through the ring 26 and is attached to a buckle 36 carriedadjacent the other end of the main body portion A. The buckle 36 is, inturn, secured to the main body portion A by a strap 40 and brad 42. Ascan be seen in FIG. 1, the buckle is carried adjacent the top of theouter band 10 so that the strap 34 extends downwardly to the center ofthe outer hand, through the ring 26, and is secured by brads adjacentthe top of the outer band on the other side of the main body portion A.Such aids in maintaining the desired bell shape of the boot even whensuch becomes saturated with perspiration from the horse.

The elongated sealed tubular member B, in one particular embodiment,includes a flexible plastic tube which has its ends sealed with a metalclamp 44. Positioned within the tube are lead shots having a diameter ofapproximately one-sixteenth inch. Conventional motor oil is used tofills the tube so as to prevent rattling of the lead shots, as well asto make the entire mass soft and mobile.

In FIG. 4A instead of placing the lead shots and oil within the plastictube, liquid mercury 46 is placed in the tube. The liquid mercury 46only fill approximately one-third of the tube so that it is allowed toshift within the tube, depending on gravity and kinetic energy.

As can be seen in FIG. 5, the boot is strapped around the leg of thehorse encircling the pastern joint between the coronet and fetlock. Thebell of the boot extends over the hoofs 52 of the horse. The bell shapeof the boot prevents the boot from jamming on the hoof, and providesmore action causing the horse to reach further.

Referring to FIGS. 6A through 6D, when the horse has its hoof on theground the mercury 46 is carried on the lower side of the leg adjacentthe bottom of the tube, as shown in FIG. 6A. The mercury remains in thisposition as the horse raises its leg through position 68 and 6C untilits leg stops at the extended position shown in 6D. When the horse stopsraising his leg at approximately the position shown in FIG. 6D, kineticenergy causes the mercury 46 to continue moving upwardly. The shiftingof the mercury induces the horse to raise his leg higher before startingto lower his leg.

When the tubular member D is filled with oil and lead shots one theoryas to why the horse is induced to raise his leg higher is that he isattempting to step out of the boot. The leather loop in which thetubular member B is carried is relatively soft so as not to chaff or rubthe leg of the horse excessively while walking.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described usingspecific terms, such description is for illustrative purposes only, andit is to be understood that changes and variations may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is: 1. A boot for use on the front leg ofa horse forinducing the horse to raise his legs to a desired show position as thehorse is walking comprising a main body portion for encircling thepastern portion of the leg of a horse, an elongated sealed tubularmember attached adjacent a top portion of said main body portionencircling the pastern portion of the leg, a fluid carried in saidtubular member, and lead shots carried in said fluid producing a mobilemass.

2. The boot as set forth in claim 1, wherein said main body portion isan elongated member with the ends brought together to define a generallyconical shape, and said tubular member is encased in pliable leather.

3. A boot for use on the front leg ofa horse for inducing the horse toraise his legs to a desired show position as the horse is walkingcomprising: a main body portion for encircling the pastern portion ofthe leg of the horse, an elongated sealed tubular member extendingaround said main body portion, fluid means carried in said tubularmember producing a mobile mass and adding weight to said boot forinducing said horse to raise his front legs when walking.

4. The boot as set forth in claim 3, wherein said fluid means is liquidmercury.

5. A boot for use on the front leg of a horse for inducing the horse toraise his legs to a desired show position as the horse is walkingcomprising: a main body position for encircling the pastern portion ofthe leg of the horse, an elongated sealed tubular member carried by saidmain body portion, liquid mercury partially filling said tubular meansso that said mercury is permitted to shift as said horse walks.

1. A boot for use on the front leg of a horse for inducing the horse toraise his legs to a desired show position as the horse is walkingcomprising a main body portion for encircling the pastern portion of theleg of a horse, an elongated sealed tubular member attached adjacent atop portion of said main body portion encircling the pastern portion ofthe leg, a fluid carried in said tubular member, and lead shots carriedin said fluid producing a mobile mass.
 2. The boot as set forth in claim1, wherein said main body portion is an elongated member with the endsbrought together to define a generally conical shape, and said tubularmember is encased in pliable leather.
 3. A boot for use on the front legof a horse for inducing the horse to raise his legs to a desired showposition as the horse is walking comprising: a main body portion forencircling the pastern portion of the leg of the horse, an elongatedsealed tubular member extending around said main body portion, fluidmeans carried in said tubular member producing a mobile mass and addingweight to said boot for inducing said horse to raise his front legs whenwalking.
 4. The boot as set forth in claim 3, wherein said fluid meansis liquid mercury.
 5. A boot for use on the front leg of a horse forinducing the horse to raise his legs to a desired show position as thehorse is walking comprising: a main body position for encircling thepastern portion of the leg of the horse, an elongated sealed tubularmember carried by said main body portion, liquid mercury partiallyfilling said tubular means so that said mercury is permitted to shift assaid horse walks.